Harris Lake County Park -RULES OF THE COURSE- Tips for Increased Success on the In order to have a safe and enjoyable Course: Orienteering Course experience on the course, there are a few 1) If you are working in a group, assign rules that you must obey: one person to do all of the pacing and one person to be in charge of counting the -At some points in the course, you pacer’s steps. This method will improve may be required to cross the street. accuracy and avoid confusion. If so, look both ways carefully 2) Once you have taken the bearing on before crossing—cars may not be your compass, pick a very distant object in able to see you until it is too late! the direction of where your compass -There will be times in which you points. As you pace your way to your must walk through wooded areas. destination, keep your eyes focused on When doing so, watch out for this object—only look at your compass every now and then to make sure you’re potential hazards (poison Ivy, still going in the right direction—it will snakes, stinging insects, spiders, help you move in more of a straight line briars, etc.). than if you keep your eyes only focused -NEVER climb/step on top of fallen on your compass. trees, logs, etc. These are home to 3) Keep magnets and metal objects far Your guide to an enjoyable orienteering numerous species of plants and away from your compass when you are experience! animals that the park aims to using it—they will ruin the polarity of your preserve, not to mention that they compass and mess up your bearings! What is Orienteering? can also hide venomous 4) Keep your compass held parallel to the copperheads. ground and close to your body (chest Originally used as a military technique -While on the course, you must obey area) when taking a bearing. This will in Sweden in the late 19th century, the principles of Leave No Trace. This improve your accuracy, guaranteed! Orienteering has evolved into a fun, means that you take only pictures Matthew R. Burroughs recreational sport ever growing in and leave only footsteps! Do not 2014 Eagle Scout Project popularity (particularly in Europe). BSA Troop 202, Cary, NC Orienteering involves using a compass litter and respect the wildlife as if it Picture Sources: -http://edupic.net/soc_gr.htm and pacing various distances to navigate were your own home. Please do a -http://www.backpacker.com/backpacking_101_understanding_your_compass/skills/12159 -http://www.wakegov.com/media/resources/pages/logo.aspx around a course marked with different good turn by picking up any visible trash that a previous visitor may waypoints. Most courses, like Harris Lake County Park’s, are located in have left behind. wooded areas to increase the challenge.

How This Course Works How this course works (Cont.) Orienteering: The Basics

You will need: -Taking a Bearing on a Compass- -course sheet (from Park Office) -pencil (bring your own) -compass (bring your own) -water bottle (bring your own) Waypoint Number 1 -calculator (bring your own) Pace Station Marker

Your first step will be to head to the picnic area across the parking lot from the playground. Once there you will need to locate two wooden Part of the information that you will be provided is posts that have a piece of striped tape on the a bearing (ex. 45°). In order to orient your compass to that bearing, turn your rotating housing with face (pictured to the right). These markers are dial to the corresponding degree so that it matches located 100 ft. apart from each other and will Rubbing Token up in line with the direction of travel arrow. Then, serve as your pace station. Follow the rotate your entire body until the magnetic needle rests inside the orienting arrow. instructions under the “Pacing” section of this brochure to determine your pace. After you Pacing: -Pacing is a very important part of orienteering. have calculated your pace, head to waypoint Your pace is the average distance (ft.) you move for number one. It is located at the end of the each step you take. So, if you are given a distance to parking lot to the left of the “No Boat travel to get to the next waypoint marker, dividing Launching” sign and has a “1” sticker on it that distance by your pace will give you the total amount of steps you will need to take in order to get (pictured to the right). From here your there! orienteering experience takes flight! There will -There is a pacing station for this course located in be a rubbing token located on the face of every the picnic area of the park. Take even, normal size post. You must do a rubbing onto the steps from one post to the other, counting the number of steps it takes you to span the distance. corresponding space of your course sheet using Repeat 2x and take the average step count. Divide your pencil (so that it spells out the word from 100 by the average step count and you will get your the token). This is your proof of visitation. average pace size. Record this number on your Now, read the information on your course sheet course sheet under the pacing calculation area. -Side-Stepping: If you encounter an immovable that will lead you to the next point, take your object in your way of travel, you will need to use bearing and navigate on! Also, be sure to copy the side-stepping technique. Do so by stepping x- down the number of each post in the number of steps to the left/right of the object corresponding area of your course sheet as you Pictured above is a map of the Harris Lake (enough to walk past the object), walk until you have passed this object, and then take the same x- reach each one (if it hasn’t already been done County Park Course. The black dots indicate number of side-steps in the opposite direction of the for you). waypoint marker sites. The two red dots previous time and continue in your original ***NOTE! The course is not necessarily indicate the pace-station markers. direction. You will have essentially walked in a rectangle to avoid the object! in number order!